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Most people who end up at 700 Civic Center Drive West in Santa Ana arrive tired, worried, and unsure what happens next. The Central Justice Center hears misdemeanor DUI cases from Santa Ana, Tustin, Orange, and Villa Park, and it also takes felony DUI matters from across the county. The court is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and the building is a full security facility, so plan extra time at the door. This page covers what the day looks like here, how your criminal case and your DMV license case run on separate tracks, and what you can start doing right away. If you were arrested recently, watch the 10-day window to ask the DMV for a hearing.
Central Justice Center — court & DMV details
Why your case is here
Orange County sets misdemeanor DUI cases by the city of arrest, and Santa Ana, Tustin, Orange, and Villa Park all route to the Central Justice Center at 700 Civic Center Drive West. It's the county's largest courthouse — 66 courtrooms — and also the countywide felony hub, so a felony DUI (for example, a DUI causing injury) from elsewhere in OC can be arraigned here too. Many CHP arrests on the I-5/SR-22/SR-57 'Orange Crush' interchange end up here.
Parking, screening, and finding your floor in Santa Ana
The court calls the Central Justice Center a full security facility. Everyone entering passes through a weapons screening device, and hand-carried items are x-rayed. Knives (including pocket knives), scissors, corkscrews, mace, pepper spray, and knitting needles are on the prohibited list, so leave them in the car or at home.
The court says metered street parking and paid parking lots are available in the Civic Center area, so bring a payment method and allow time for the walk and the screening line, especially around the 8:30 a.m. calls. The building has 11 floors, with public elevators in both the East and West wings. A public cafeteria on the third floor of the East Wing has regular hours of 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., though the court notes hours may vary.
A bus guide the court published in 2019 listed OCTA Routes 83, 150, and 862 near the courthouse, with stops on streets such as Broadway, Chestnut, Civic Center, and McFadden. Routes change, so confirm in the current OCTA trip planner before you count on one.
What an arraignment morning looks like in Santa Ana
The court says criminal appearances are generally scheduled for 8:30 a.m., and you should be checked in with the courtroom by then. Look for your department number and hearing time on the posted calendar and go straight to that courtroom. If your case is not posted, the court tells you to check in with the Criminal Division Clerk's Office. Need an interpreter? Ask the clerk's office or the courtroom on the hearing date.
The courtroom rules are simple. Shirt and shoes are required, food, drinks, and gum are not allowed, and phones and laptops must be silenced or off. A missed appearance can lead to an arrest warrant, so if something goes wrong on the way, call your lawyer or the clerk before the hearing time passes.
Alcohol education and DUI program steps in Orange County
If a case ends in a conviction, the judge may order a DUI program as a condition of probation. The court does not run these programs itself. In Orange County the Health Care Agency oversees them, and the state Department of Health Care Services licenses them. The county lists a 12-hour wet reckless program, first offender programs of 3 months (34 hours), 6 months (48 hours), and 9 months (65 hours), a 12-month option, and an 18-month program for repeat offenders. The court decides which one applies to you.
The county's 3-month provider list, revised in June 2022, included locations in Santa Ana, Anaheim, Garden Grove, and Irvine, so a program close to home is usually possible. Provider lists change, so check the county's current DUI provider page before you enroll anywhere.
Don't miss the 10-day DMV deadline
Your court case at the Central Justice Center is only half the story. The DMV runs a separate case against your license, and you have just 10 days from arrest to request a hearing. See how the DMV hearing works →
How Ron defends a DUI at the Central Justice Center
Misdemeanor DUI cases at the Central Justice Center are prosecuted by the Orange County District Attorney's Office. Your first date is an arraignment, where the charges are read and a plea is entered. After that the case usually moves through pretrial hearings, where Ron asks for the police reports, any body camera or dash camera video, and the chemical test records, then looks hard at the reason for the stop, the field sobriety tests, and how the breath or blood sample was handled. Some cases resolve by negotiation, and others go to motions or trial. No lawyer can promise a result, and every case turns on its own facts.
The court's website says criminal cases generally require an in-person appearance, with exceptions for Department CJ1 and remote appearances a courtroom approves, so ask early about your options. Orange County also lets attorneys in good standing submit an informal arraignment in some misdemeanor cases, subject to the court's local rules, and Ron can tell you whether yours fits. His office is in Irvine, he handles the hearings in Santa Ana, and he runs your DMV hearing alongside the court case.
Where will my Santa Ana DUI be heard?
Is this courthouse for felony DUIs too?
Do I have to appear in court myself?
How do I keep my license?
Cities that route here
← Back to Orange County DUI Defense
Ron defends DUI cases across Southern California from his Irvine office — and works directly with you, not a call center.
Learn more about Ron Chini →